Hello from Historical Malacca!

My name is Ruzzanna but everyone calls me Row ever since I started studying Culinary Arts. (Long story. a funny one too. maybe i'll post it later)

I graduated Culinary school with an Honorable pass and boy, was I happy. Before studying, I've worked in the industry and take up chances to grab multiple certificates including Kitchen Management, bread making and even pastry!

I chose this path for three main reasons:

1.Since I was a kid, my mom kept telling me that we eat to live and not live to eat (so i was a little overweight as a child) but I just knew that I lived to eat! (of course I dare not tell her that.)

2.I was born in Connecticut, USA and moved to Malaysia when I was 8 or so. you would imagine the drastic changes I had to go through. Not only did I have to learn a new language, (that took me a whole year to be as fluent as I am now) I had to give up most of my favourite foods!

-At least burgers and hot dogs and pizzas weren't to scarce here. But they have burgers with chilli sauce instead of ketchup. so that was a nightmare at first..

-Fluffy pancakes with maple syrup? No! they ate it with honey and the pancakes weren't fluffy. >.>

-Tacos? They gave me the Japanese octopus ball.. v.v

-When I tried to explain what sloppy joes were, they laughed and asked why I would want the filling to be loose and sloppy instead of firm and together. Why not have a hamburger instead? I sulked for days..

I endured this for some time till some items were slowly available and then the best thing happened - I had access to the kitchen! You could imagine the mess I caused just to make a decent pancake. (i was 10)

3.My final reason is my most important reason of all - Tradition.

Although I went through a lot just to have a bite of my childhood food, I began to like the local food too. I fell in love with the food my ancestors have preserved over centuries and what it represents. Every year, my mom forced us to weave Ketupat on the eve of Eid ( A muslim celebration celebrated by the Malays in Malaysia) Many families have forgotten how to make this traditional item. They simply buy the plastic ready made ones. My mother insisted that this tradition must be passed on to my kids and their kids and grandkids as well so that it wont be forgotten like many other traditional dishes. This is what I want to represent. This is what I want to contribute to this fast and ever-growing, ever-improving industry - A pinch of the old-world.

Well, that's a little too much about me. I would very much appreciate a hello or any questions you would like to ask about me. I'll answer if I can.

MAN! That’s some journey you’ve been on, but I can certainly relate to your earnest drive towards your childhood foods. I struggle with this, but at a much later stage in life.

Traditions, memories, culture, family… they all circle back to food, don’t they?

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Cheftalk.com is also on face Book and Pinterest, the photos here are mouthwatering! I hope to see some of yours soon, and once again welcome.